A MAZE OF GREED - Chapter 455

Lisa tip-toed into the room that had its curtains drawn, resulting in the room engulfed in the dim light. She was barefoot so that her shoes would not make any sound. She peeked first inside the room to see it was empty.

That was what Lisa wanted. She closed the door behind her before making sure that no one saw her coming there. She could hear muffled sounds coming from the washroom, and that was why she chose this perfect time.

Entering further into the room, her frantic eyes searched around for the thing she was meant to get her hands on. She first looked at the bed which was unmade but found nothing on it. She then searched the drawers of the bedside tables, which contained some random things.

Lisa was careful to not make any sound. She then searched the study table, which was placed aligned with a wall. It was filled with many papers and handwritten notes. Some of them were undecipherable for Lisa as she could barely read and write.

The Kinsville did not provide education to the humans, unlike in Vincardine, where everyone who could afford, was given a chance to learn and better their lives.

However, Lisa knew what she was looking for. Giving up on the study table, she rubbed her forehead in distress. Where could it be?

Then her eyes caught the wardrobe. Its door was slightly open as if someone forgot to close it properly in hurry. It was Lisa’s last resort. She was about to walk in its way when she heard sounds from the washroom followed by the opening of the door.

She quickly ran to hide behind the thick and wall lengthed curtains. She made sure to hide her feet and held her breath.

Her heart beat fast in fear. Sweat broke on her forehead. She covered her mouth with her hands tightly to not let it make even the slightest of the sound.

She heard a knock on the door then it was being opened.

“My Lord, you are asked to join Lord Ambrose and Lady Aurora for the breakfast.”

Lisa heard a maid’s soft voice.

“Alright”

She heard him say. Then she heard a weird sound as if someone had slapped a person. But Lisa knew better than that.

That pervert just spanked the maid because the woman giggled after that like a little girl. Lisa clenched her jaw as anger and jealousy took over her.

She heard Darius whistle around as he opened the wardrobe and pulled out a grey shirt. He wore it with black pants. He tucked the shirt perfectly inside the pants, left the upper two buttons of his shirt open, to display his chiselled chest.

After combing his hair, he left the room. Lisa waited for a few seconds, even after he exited the room before she gasped for air.

She came out from behind the curtains. She swiped the sweat on her forehead with the back of her hand. After her breath became normal, she walked towards the wardrobe.

Opening it, she saw piles of clothes that were enough to cover the whole human male population of Kinsville. Lisa began her search from the bottom as that was where people usually hide their secrets.

With every drawer closing after disappointment, her hopes began to thin. Yet she was not ready to give up. She kept rummaging through each drawer and each compartment of the wardrobe.

“You forgot to stop your heartbeats, sweetheart!”

Lisa froze hearing that sinister whisper in her ear. The jacket she was holding in her hands fell on the floor with a light thud. Her whole body turned stiff, her eyes widened in shock.

Before she could release the breath she was holding, she was thrown into the bed forcefully. She whimpered in pain as she landed on her front. Her body bounced as soon as it touched the mattress but was pressed into it by Darius’s body weight as he jumped on her.

Lisa’s fear spiked up as Darius held her hands, pinning them on her back with his one hand. His other hand held her head, pressing it further into the mattress.

Lisa hyperventilated as fear gripped her heart from all sides. She could not breathe enough and thus gasp for air with her opened mouth.

“What the fuck were you looking for Lisa?” Darius growled dangerously from above her.

“D-Darius… p-please. Let go of me!” Lisa tried struggling, although she knew she was no match to this Vampire’s strength.

“Tell me first!” Darius pressed her head further into the mattress.

She had her face partially stuffed into the soft cotton of the mattress, failing to see his red eyes as he glared down at her.

“You are hurting me!” Lisa screamed as her eyes watered.

Darius used his hand to grip her hair tightly, then pulled her head backwards, which shot a sharp pain in her scalp.

“Aaaahh” Lisa screamed in pain.

But that did nothing to that heartless man.

“Do you think I am a fool Lisa? I knew the moment you entered my bedroom. I was waiting for you to do what you wanted. Now don’t test my patience and tell me- What. The. Fuck. You were searching?”

The pain in her scalp numbed her senses. The tears freely flew out of her eyes as she clenched them shut. She bit her lower lip to suppress the screams as the pain turned unbearable as Darius’s sharp nails dug into her hands, drawing blood from them.

Lisa gasped for more air, the sounds of it filled the room along with her frantically beating heart.

“I am repeating myself again Lisa. Tell me what were you looking for or-”

“Or what?” She gritted her teeth.

Darius was taken aback by her braveness. In a swift motion, he turned her around so that now she lay on her back. He held her hands above her head as he narrowed his eyes down at her.

“You know what I am capable of Lisa!” Darius said, chuckling darkly.

“All you can do is kill me Darius! There is nothing more you are capable of doing!!”

Darius stared at her for a long minute, trying to figure out her mess of thoughts.

A minute of silence later, he said calmly. “You are intentionally provoking me. Am I right Lisa?!”

He saw the chaos erupting in her orbs as she daringly stared at him.

“What if I am?” She retorted.

“Then I would like to know why. Why are you doing this?”

Lisa was silent for a moment weighing the possibilities in her brain. Giving up on pondering, she addressed the issue straightforwardly.

“Why are you hiding your experiment from your father?”

Darius was surprised to hear that from her. He furrowed his brows in suspicion. “Why are you suddenly interested in my business?”

“I want to know.” Came her reply.

And then it dawned upon him.

“You want to expose me in front of my father!” Darius exclaimed in sheer shock.

He hoped she would deny it, but then her silence made it crystal clear for him. He was right about his assumption!

Lisa watched in confusion as Darius released her before getting up from her. He paced around the room, lost in deep thoughts.

Lisa slowly sat up in bed. She saw the marks left by Darius’s nails on her hand. Her hair was a mess on her head, her face was smeared with tears and sweat.

Yesterday when Hilton came to meet Ambrose, he also met Darius secretly. He handed him some handwritten notes which were about Darius’s experiment.

During all this time, Lisa had concluded that Ambrose and Darius were the two ends of a line. Darius had asked for a chance with his father.

Lisa knew that if Darius succeeded in his experiment, then he would initiate a war. And his first strike was targeted at Edwin O’Dell. But what made Lisa feel disgusted with that vampire was his weapon.

Lisa could tolerate any assault he would inflict on her but not this. Only a monster would think of doing that to those innocent children.

Lisa would not let that happen.

And when she saw that exchange between Darius and Hilton, she also saw an opportunity to stop Darius.

“Why Lisa?”

She looked up to see him gazing at her with saddened eyes. As if she had disappointed him, betrayed him.

But after witnessing how low he had stooped by throwing her in the mouth of death, just to get at Reznor, she knew how manipulative and selfish he was.

And the moment she got to know about his evil and inhuman plan, whatever was blooming in her heart for this man wilted away.

“Stop it, Darius! Stop everything!! You don’t need to prove yourself to anyone. You are the next Vampire leader anyway. You are capable of many things.

Trust me, you will write the history with your own hand. There are many ways for it. You don’t need to walk on a path of destruction, just to gain someone else’s recognition.”

Darius’s face softened as he watched her getting up from the bed and nearing him. Lisa did not break their eye contact. She cupped his face in her palms.

At that moment, he looked like a lost child who yearned for a touch of care.

“You deserve better Darius! Edwin O’Dell or anyone at that matter are not your enemies. They are not going to hurt you or steal anything from you. Please stop!”

Lisa said, gathering all her emotions and sincereness. She saw something changing in his eyes, and her hopes rose.

“You… you really think so Lisa?” He asked expectantly.

Lisa smiled. “Yes, Darius. I think you deserve better!”

Darius held her hand that rested on his face. He wrapped his fingers around her wrist before kissing her palm.

He gulped down while still not breaking their eye contact.

“Thank you Lisa!” Darius smiled softly. “Thank you so much for teaching me that.”

Lisa smiled. Her heart fluttered with happiness that finally he understood. She knew she could change him over time.

A cracking sound was followed by a gut-wrenching scream that left Lisa’s mouth as she wailed in pain. Lisa looked up in utter shock as Darius glared down at her.

“Thank you Lisa for teaching me to not trust anyone but yourself!”

Lisa’s eyes moved to her hand, which was twisted at an odd angle. The pain was so unbearable that she wished for death at that moment.

Darius held her face in his fingers before leaning close to it.

“The next time you decide to play a detective, remember this!”

Lisa’s eyes watered profusely as her hand felt numb with the white pain.

“Take care, Lisa!” Darius kissed her lips before pushing her to the floor then walking away.

He left her wailing in pain as she cried loudly, begging for help.